Appeal from Trade Unionists in Yugoslavia

Forwarded by Brian Kelly, 3 May 1999

“Deeply shocked by NATO's devastation of our country and the
plight of Kosovo Albanians, we, the representatives of
non-governmental organizations and the Nezavisnost Trade Union
Confederation, energetically demand that those who have created this
tragedy immediately take all necessary steps to create conditions for
the resumption of the peace process. The most powerful military,
political and economic countries in the world have been killing
people, and destroying military and civilian facilities, bridges,
railway lines, factories, heating plants, storage facilities and fuel
tanks. This has produced an exodus of unrpecedented proportions.

Hundreds of thousands of Yugoslavs, primarily ethnic Albanians, are
forced to leave their devastated homes to escape the bombing and
military actions of the regime and the KLA, in the hope that they will
find salvation in the tragic status of refugees. It is obvious that
all this leads to catastrophe, and that a negotiated and peaceful
solution to the Kosovo problem, which we have urged for years, is now
further away than ever. We have courageously and consistently fought
against every warmongering and nationalistic policy, and for the
respect of human rights, and particularly against the repression of
the Kosovo Albanians.

We have always insisted on the respect of their human rights and
freedoms, and on the restoration of autonomy for Kosovo. Faced with
the current tragic situation, we put forward the following demands in
the name of humanity and the values and ideals that have been guiding
our activities:

1) We demand an immediate cessation of bombing and all armed
operations.

2) We demand the resumption of the peace process with international
mediation.

3) We demand that the European Union and Russia take their share of
the responsibility for finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.

4) We demand an end to the practice of ethnic cleansing and
repatriation of refugees.

5) We demand support for peace, stability, and democratization of
Montenegro.

6) We demand the Serbian and international media report professionally
and impartially about current developments and refrain from fanning
inter-ethnic hatred, hysteria and glorification of force as the only
way out of the crisis.

We are unable to achieve this on our own and ask for you support.

(signed):

Association of Citizens for Democracy; Social Justice and Support for
Trade Unions; Belgrade Circle; Studetns Union of Serbia; Yugoslav
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights; Nezavisnost Trade Union
Federation; and 12 other organizations.

If your organization would like to endorse this statement, contact Ken
Coates at the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Gamble Street,
Nottingham NG7 4ET.